Iraq cease-fires reached; 3 U.S. troops killed

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/2498356

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- At least three Americans and scores of Iraqis died in combat Saturday as Iraqi Government Council members worked feverishly to arrange cease-fires in both the Sunni-dominated center of the country and the Shiite-dominated south.

With hundreds of civilian dead at Fallujah inflaming Iraqi public opinion, the U.S.-led coalition and the insurgents agreed to a fragile 12-hour cease-fire starting today so wounded civilians could be treated and others could leave the city.

But the deal depends on the doubtful prospect of U.S. soldiers withdrawing from the city, a member of Iraq's Governing Council told the Associated Press. The comments late Saturday by Mahmoud Othman came as Marines, backed by hundreds of reinforcements, encircled the besieged city, which the U.S. military threatened to take by force if negotiations failed.

Another cease-fire was announced in the south, where Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr pledged that his Mahdi Army militia would not launch attacks this weekend in honor of a religious festival at Karbala that has attracted more than one million pilgrims. Al-Sadr's forces currently control Karbala and Najaf.

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[displacedtexan]

1. In other words... we're retreating?

Not that I believe we should be there AT ALL, but DAMN! The world will never take our military seriously again. We have spent all of our credibility.

[NNN0LHI]

2. MSNBC reporter in Baghdad said their supply routes have been cut

It ain't looking good.

Don

[0007]

3. The blood bath will wait - too much exposure on Easter would be bad PR

The big fish story needs telling
Then back to "wag the dog"

[BeFree]

4. Napoleon had his Waterloo,

Will this be known as Bush's Fallujah?

Taking out Saddam was one thing, bringing Hell to the doorstep of innocents is quite another.

Who the hell decided that the US would make war on the Iraqi People? Does anybody know where it is written?

[glarius]

5. It's mind-numbing...Bush is fishing while all this carnage is taking place

Put yourself in Bush's place....Can you even remotely imagine going fishing or doing anything recreational under these circumstances?....It's disgusting beyond belief!

[leftchick]

7. imagine if Bill Clinton had done something similar...

there would be impeachment proceedings...

[tlcandie]

6. Hasn't their (US) MO been to back off and then do the dirty work

once things die down and it isn't IN YOUR FACE for a while? Again, the keeping it out there till you tire of it or think it's gotten to a somewhat 'status quo' enough to put everyone's ears off of perky mode and then bam....the dirty deeds are done and noone reports them except in buried articles.

Example: Legislation passed in the wee hours of the morning on a Friday/Saturday, etc.

[Moderator]

8. locking

discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=479504